Writer's Block Series: Naruto
by Caeria
Summary: A series of rather loosely joined ficlets staring my favorite two Naruto characters Kakashi and Sakura
1. I

**Author's Note #1**: A writing friend of mine named Saber Shadowkitten (aka Henry Jones, Jr. aka Saber Shadowkat) used to write a series of Buffy shorts that were a way for her to combat writer's block on her more serious works. I've decided to do the same. I typically write long, involved, drawn out stories. I intend these shorts to be the complete opposite of my usual writing. They are suppose to be just little snippets of humor, angst and whatnot that will hopefully help to keep the creative juices flowing on my other writing project -- a convoluted, complicated Harry Potter tale that has taken on a life of it's own that I would love to finish before the last HP book hits the market. I won't make that deadline, of course, but it's nice to dream.

**Author's Note #2**: Any and all comments are appreciated. Also, feel free to point out errors if you spot them. I'd much rather fix them than have them linger.

**Author's Note #3**: Thanks to Potion Mistress for taking the time to beta.

* * *

I.

The morning of Sakura's eighteenth birthday, she woke early. For a few quiet moments, she savored the warmth of her blankets as she contemplated this most special of days. Her parents would be up soon and they would have their traditional "Sakura Birthday Breakfast" of steamed rice, miso soup, rolled omelets, pickles and natto.

Sakura wrinkled her nose at the thought of the strong-smelling, sticky Natto. It wasn't exactly her favorite but her father enjoyed it, so it was always on the menu for the birthday breakfast.

Then after breakfast, she was to meet Ino for birthday shopping and pampering. And as any woman knows, birthday shopping and pampering was an all day affair. The day would conclude with a birthday party with all her friends -- an occasion that was made even better by the fact that all the former members of Team Seven were in Konoha at the moment.

But none of these things were why Sakura was awake early on this glorious Tuesday morning. She had _other_ plans for this most special of days -- plans that had been in the works for almost six months. Secret plans that only she was privy to. Plans that had been at various times, thought over, chuckled over, and savored with all the gusto of a drinker over a particularly fine batch of sake.

Oh, yes. Sakura had plans for her eighteenth birthday.

Throwing off the covers, she let a slow grin spread across her face as she thought about the real significance of this day. Today, Haruno Sakura was marching into _Pink's_ and she was buying a copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_ and she was _finally_ going to find out what held Kakashi sensei's perverted and single-minded attention.


	2. II

**Author's Note #1**: Any and all comments are appreciated. Also, feel free to point out errors if you spot them. I'd much rather fix them than have them linger.

**Author's Note #2**: Thanks to Potion Mistress for taking the time to beta.

* * *

II.

When Haruno Sakura was six years old, she'd wandered off from the watchful eye of her mother. Fearless, she'd gone off into the bustling marketplace of Konoha. It wasn't long before she'd been completely turned around and lost among the throngs of people in the marketplace. Even as a child, she been unafraid, sure in the knowledge that she could take care of herself, thank you very much, and that eventually she would either find her mother or her mother would find her.

So young Sakura spent the morning winding her way between stalls of fruit and bolts of silk, fingering and wondering over all the sights, smells and people who milled around her, too lost in their own tasks to notice the small, pink-haired girl child in their midst.

At least Sakura thought herself unnoticed until she spotted that rather scary-looking man who seemed to be following her through the outdoor market. A man, she noted carefully, who was being given a wide, yet respectful berth by the women and men around her.

Sakura, being Sakura, stopped as soon as she realized that this man was following her. Narrowing her eyes and puffing out baby-fat rounded cheeks, she confronted the man. "Stop following me!," she demanded, tiny fists set firmly on her hips.

To her surprise, the man, his face scarred by a long diagonal slash that ran across his right cheek and down to his chin, threw back his head and laughed.

"I'm not following you, little cat. I'm a Konoha ninja and I'm doing a mission, although an unpaid mission and that's making sure you don't get into trouble until your mother finds you."

Sakura didn't take well to being laughed at, especially by strange men she didn't know. "My name is not little cat. I'm Sakura, and I don't get into trouble." Temper flaring, she lashed out with one small foot, intent on catching the strange man in the knee. To her surprise, he nimbly avoided her foot. Undeterred, she tried a second time. Again, the man avoided her strike while not even seeming to move.

This was completely outside of Sakura's six-year-old experience. She knew herself to be very quick and no one had ever evaded her when she went to hit them. Thoroughly annoyed now, she did what any six-year-old would do.

"Stop moving," she commanded.

Again the strange man laughed. "Stop following me. Stop moving," he mimicked in a high-pitched, little girl voice. "My, you are a very demanding little cat," he added in his own deeper baritone. "And I think little cat suits you better than Sakura. Sakuras are beautiful and graceful. You, little cat, are full of teeth and claws. I've watched you – you're curious and quick, but you took too long to tell I was following you."

Offended that the man had in effect said that she was not beautiful or graceful, Sakura frowned. She wanted to kick him but realized that he was faster than she was. His words however did intrigue her and she let the anger go. "How could I have known faster?" she finally asked.

"You should have sensed my chakra."

"Chakra," Sakura repeated, rolling the unfamiliar word around on her tongue. She smiled, liking the taste of the taste of the word.

Spotting a stand selling flavored ices, Sakura took hold of the man's hand and pulled him to the stand. "Buy me an ice and tell me about chakra."

So Sakura met her first ninja and when her frantic mother finally found her two hours later, Sakura had decided on the course that her life would take from that moment on.

The fact that her family had no ninja history didn't deter her. The fact that her mother and father had never understood her choice had not kept her from her goal. She'd worked and studied and planned, learning each lesson as it was presented to her, always keeping her eye on her goal, intent on keeping the vow she'd made to herself as that wide-eyed child.

She had kept it. There had been a few detours along the years when her attention and focus had wavered. She looked back on 'the Sasuke years', as she thought of them, with a mixture of embarrassment and fondness. She'd been such an idiot to let her desire for a boy who never regarded her as anything other than a burden and annoyance take her from her goal. But she'd long ago grown out of her infatuation with the Uchiha heir. The single-minded focus that had switched temporarily to Sasuke was back exactly where it needed to be – becoming the best kunoichi that Konoha had.

And the best kunoichi in Kahona wanted _Icha Icha_.

She'd begun her planning some six months ago when she'd realized what her coming birthday had meant. She'd approached the _Icha Icha_ mission as she approached all missions. She'd even gone so far as to write out a mission scroll that clearly outlined her objectives.

**Preliminary**

1. Turn eighteen.

2. Save up money for purchases.

**Primary Objective**

1. Obtain copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_, vol I.

**Secondary Objective**

1. If possible without comprising primary objective, obtain _Icha Icha_, vols 2-5.

**Retreat Plan**

1. Get in and get out without being recognized by hostile forces or being traced back to the hidden village in the leaves.

Sakura considering several individuals as hostile for this mission – Tsunade, Ino, Sasuke and Naruto. Kakashi was, of course, ranked as enemy #1 to be avoided at all costs, even if it required the mission to be scrubbed. She had no illusions of the teasing she would receive if Kakashi caught her buying one of his precious smut books, especially after the hard time she'd given him over the years.

Once Sakura had written her mission scroll she'd planned her mission as if it were as real as any that Tsunade had handed out. She'd watched _Pink's_, setting up reconnaissance missions to track customer movement and store patterns.

She knew who frequented the store and with what kind of familiarly. She knew Kakashi visited the store every two weeks on Thursday afternoons. He stayed anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes before he wandered out again. She knew which clerks worked which days, she knew who tended to gossip about customers. She also discovered a surprising number of people making purchases of the little orange books that she would never have suspected. Genma had been no surprise. Neither had Anko. She had been surprised at Yamoto's appearance though, as well as Ino's mother.

Getting dressed, Sakura went over her plan, looking for holes in her strategy. She'd originally wanted to go in disguise but soon realized that she would have to prove she was eighteen. That would have been hard to do if she was disguise. So, needing to go as herself, she settled on an early morning entrance to the store. Tuesdays were the store's slowest day, especially in the mornings. If she arrived just as old Mr. Kinomoto was opening the store, she'd be assured a good forty-five minutes before the next customer arrived.

Grinning at her reflection in the mirror, Sakura settled her last kunai into its sheath.

Time to begin Mission Icha Icha.


	3. III

Author's Note: I do not own Naruto -- as if you guys didn't already know that.

* * *

III.

Operation Icha Icha had been a success.

In fact, it had been a bigger success than Sakura had even dared to hope for. _Pink's_ had been running an _Icha Icha_ special that week and was selling the first five volumes of _Icha Icha Paradise_ as a boxed set.

She'd bought the set and high-tailed it back to her parents' house before her luck could run out. Now that the precious books were in her hands, she was taking no chances on having someone come into the store who could recognize her and potentially rat her out. All of which left her sitting on her bed while staring at the set sitting innocently on her bed cover.

She snorted . . . innocently. As if those books could ever be innocent. She didn't even have to crack one open to know that innocent and _Icha Icha_ never belonged in the same sentence together.

Sakura sighed. She wouldn't have time to actually begin reading the first book as she was expected downstairs for breakfast. Then Ino would show up and they would be off for the long planned day of shopping. After that would be the party.

She sighed again.

There was no help for it. It would be tomorrow evening after her shift at the hospital before she'd be able to sit down properly with the books.

She heard her mother stirring below in the kitchen. She would call up to Sakura any minute now. It was probably best to just go ahead and get it over with. Standing, she headed for the door only to stop halfway there as Inner Sakura tapped loudly on her psyche.

Right. Better safe than sorry. Turning back around, she marched back to the bed, grabbed up the box of books and stuffed them down deep into her dirty clothes hamper. Sakura did her own laundry so her mother was unlikely to find the books.

Inna Sakura relaxed with the books hidden safely away – paranoia, after all, was a kunoichi's best friend.


	4. IV

**Author's Note #1**: Any and all comments are appreciated. Also, feel free to point out errors if you spot them. I'd much rather fix them than have them linger.

**Author's Note #2**: Thanks to Potion Mistress for taking the time to beta. I did mention that the 'M' rating would be earned. Like _Icha Icha_, if you aren't 18, you aren't supposed to be reading.

* * *

IV.

The box of books was once again sitting on her bed, its orange cover coordinated to match the unmistakable color of the book covers. It was a rather pretty color she noted, as the light from the setting sun coming in from her window hit against the box. It almost seemed to glow.

Sakura gave a rather unladylike snort. _Glow . . ._ she was definitely losing it if she was getting poetic about _Icha Icha_.

Stifling a yawn with one hand, she pilled the books out of the box set container with the other. She wasn't sure how much she'd be able to read tonight before falling asleep. She'd had a rough day at the hospital between a grumpier than normal Tsunade and an ANBU retrieval operation gone bad. As both a ninja and a medic, Sakura was no stranger to either blood or death, but occasionally she wished that she could escape to a world where the good guys always won and never got more than a superficial scratch.

Sakura eyed the books now spread across her bed. Maybe that was what Kakashi found so enticing about the books. Of course the fact that they were filled with smut probably contributed a great deal to their appeal.

Yawning again, she went to put on her night clothes. As a ninja, she didn't go for frilly silks or lace since there was always the chance that the village alarm would sound and all Konoha defenders would be needed at their stations. Fighting enemy nin in some frothy, baby-doll getup seemed rather impractical to Sakura, so she pulled on a pair of black shorts that looked remarkably like those she'd worn under various outfits over the years and a stretchy black top – sensible to sleep in and sensible to fight in.

Heading back to the bed she crawled under the covers and opened the first volume of _Icha Icha Paradise_.

* * *

_**Junko had retreated to the room he'd been given in the Lord's estate house. He'd taken this seemingly easy bodyguard job because he'd been rather low on cash. It wasn't like anyone was even trying to harm or assassinate Lord Hiko. No, the man just wanted the prestige of having a full-time ninja bodyguard. As far as Junko could see when he accepted the job, it was going to be some of the easiest money he'd ever earned.**_

**_Of course, that was before he'd met the Lord's daughter -- the Lord's seventeen-year-old, nubile, and beautiful daughter. _**

**_This was why this particular evening found him sitting in his room tossing back sake. It was all rather simple really. It was either the sake or he was going to take the girl, regardless of his employer's wishes. As he still needed that money, sake was the only solution. As he downed his fourth shot, he let his favorite fantasy unfold behind his closed eyelids. _**

_**Mistress Kikyo's delicate face rose up in his imagination as demure and quiet as any good Lord's daughter should be. Closing his eyes he reached for his cock, smoothing his hand down the front of his pants. **_

**_Oh, yes. _**

**_Leaning back in his chair, he quickly undid his pants and pushed the fabric down until he sprang free. He was already half-hard with his lecherous thoughts. _**

_**Reaching down again, he smoothed his hand down his length again, imagining that it was Kikyo's hand upon him instead. She would be shy and have her face averted from his but her soft, delicate hands would be sure and capable. He stroked slowly, his palm curling up and over the broad head of his cock. She stroked slowly, her palm curling up and over the broad head of his cock.**_

**_So very, very good._**

**_Pulling back on his strokes, he lightened his touch until only his fingertips grazed the hot skin of his shaft in soft, repeated caresses. If he put his mind to it, he could almost imagine that this was Kikyo's hot, agile tongue teasing him instead of his own fingers. It was so easy to imagine her lips wrapping around him as he tightened a thumb and forefinger around the base of the head. He would be able to look down and see demure pleasure reflected back at him in her guileless eyes. _**

**_Increasing his speed, she increased hers, fingers flicking along his length. Yes. Oh, yes. It wasn't long before he could feel his balls contracting upwards, his orgasm screaming through his body._**

"**_Kikyo!"_**

**_He came hard, his seed spilling over his fingers. Letting out a shaky breath Junko took a few moments before sitting up and opening his eyes. _**

**_Kikyo, the real Kikyo and not his fantasy, was the first thing he saw, her eyes wide and focused on his dripping fist. _**

"**_Junko-san . . . I . . . I-" Kikyo stumbled over her words._**

"**_Kikyo?" _**

****

* * *

****

Sakura snapped the book closed, her face heating in embarrassment.

Absolute trash!

She brushed her thumb against the book's edge in agitation causing the pages to make a soft ruffling noise. This was ridiculous. There was no reason for her to be embarrassed. She was eighteen years old. She may have been a virgin but she certainly wasn't some blushing innocent. Feeling the heat still in her cheeks she quickly amended that -- she wasn't an innocent.

Sakura had seen a lot of naked men during her time as Tsunade's assistant at the hospital. She had been out on missions with teenage boys. Naruto had no sense of shame or personal privacy and she could no longer count the times that she'd been awakened at night while on a mission as Naruto "took matters into his own hands" so to speak. Sweet Kami, she'd even gotten up one night to answer a call of nature and walked up on Sasuke. To this day she gave thanks that Sasuke had been too engrossed in what he was doing to notice her standing not thirty feet away in the bushes watching him with eyes and mouth wide open in shock. She'd quickly retreated, though the image at that point had already been permanently seared into her memory. She been unable to sleep for the rest of the night and as she'd had first watch that night, she'd been a very tired kunoichi the next day.

And, as Inner Sakura, pointed out, they'd been kissed. They'd been felt up. Hell, they'd even done some of the feeling. She wasn't an innocent, Inner Sakura emphasized with a stomped foot.

But this . . it was just indecent.

She should put it down.

But she'd gotten the books to satisfy a curiosity that had been building for seven long years. Kakashi read these things in public. How bad could they really be? Maybe the beginning of the book was the worst part. It would certainly both shock and hook readers at the same time. Maybe it was just a marketing ploy. Surely the rest of the book didn't follow in the same vein.

Having talked herself into it, Sakura re-opened the book.

* * *

"**_I-" Kikyo's stuttered to a halt and then blushing fiercely she said, "Can I help the noble Junko-san with that?" _**

"_**What did you say?" Junko couldn't believe his ears. Was the shy, proper young lady propositioning him?**_

_**The lovely Kikyo though seemed to take his surprise as disapproval as she quickly dropped her gaze, staring at the floor. "My apologies, sir. I will be going," she said before backing towards the door.**_

_**Junko was across the room and blocking her way before she'd taken two steps. Lifting up his still wet fingers, he traced the back of one knuckle across her lips and felt his own lust soar once again as her pink tongue licked at her bottom lip.**_

_**It took little effort on his part to lead Kikyo back to his sleeping mat and soon he was stretched out beside her naked form, his eyes feasting on her creamy breasts and thighs.**_

_**Ah, Junko thought, I am a lucky man indeed.**_

_**Then placing weathered and calloused palms on her knees, he pushed them further apart until the lady was spread open beneath him.**_

_**A lucky man indeed.**_

* * *

****

Fifteen minutes later, Sakura snapped the book closed again, eyes burning because she'd stopped blinking somewhere around the third paragraph. That was . . . that was . . she didn't even have a name for what that was. Throwing back the covers she retreated to her small bathroom where she threw a handful of cool water on her heated face.

Was she breathing hard? Oh, Kami, she was breathing hard. She couldn't believe it. She was aroused. This was ridiculous. It was a book. It wasn't even that well written of a book. It was smut. It was trash. It had no redeeming qualities. It was . . . It was . . . .

She paced then back and forth across her room, deliberately keeping her eyes from settling on the book until her arousal faded. She'd simply stop reading, she decided. Mind made up, she returned to her bed and deliberately placed the book face down on the floor. Turning off the light, she slid under the covers and attempted to sleep.

Thirty minutes later she snapped back on the bedside light and reached toward the floor. Opening the book, she once again started to read.


	5. V

**Author's Note**: I'm sure that everyone will rejoice to know that I've had someone volunteer to beta for me. That should cut down on all the pesky and annoying errors. Everyone give a big round of applause to Potion Mistress. She does good work.

Also, many thanks to those who have reviewed. I am most appreciative.

**

* * *

**

**WB – Naruto V**

"Sakura, you look terrible. What happened to you?" Shizune asked.

Sakura grimaced at the older woman and thumped her head down on the desk. "I didn't sleep last night," she mumbled into the wood.

Shizune made an understanding noise. "Insomnia. Everyone gets it occasionally."

Sakura kept quiet on that. There was no way she was telling Shizune that she'd been so engrossed in _Icha Icha_ that she'd read straight through the night. She, herself, wasn't even sure how it had happened. One minute she was telling herself that she was just reading through the end of the second chapter -- Junko had finished with the lovely and naive Kikyo and was being actively pursued and seduced by Kikyo's not even close to naive mother, while Lord Hiko was touring his estate. The next thing she knew, dawn was lighting her room and she was finishing up the last chapter -- a farewell orgy for the departing Junko thrown by a no longer naive Kikyo, her mother, the buxom kitchen maid, the mistress of the Lord's hounds, and the retired samurai who Junko had found to replace him as a bodyguard.

If she weren't so tired, Sakura would have been entirely appalled at herself.

Shizune patted her on the back sympathetically. "I wish I could tell you to go home and get some rest but unfortunately, Tsunade sent me down here to get you. She's got a mission for you."

Sakura groaned and thumped her forehead a few times against the desk. She really wasn't prepared for this. Bowing to the inevitable, she drug herself upright and headed for Tsunade.

Reaching the office, Sakura knocked softly on the wooden frame of the door, causing Tsunade to look up.

"You look like shit," were the first words out of the Hokage's mouth.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama. It's nice to see you, too."

"No cheek from you and don't just stand in the hall – get in here. You're late."

Sakura suppressed a sigh. As she'd just been told Tsunade wanted to see her, she couldn't possibly be late. It was another symptom of what Sakura privately called the "Kakashi Syndrome." The man had such a well-known reputation for being late that everyone seemed to have it in their heads that Kakashi's former students were also late for everything, regardless of the fact that none of them ever were.

Sakura knew that Naruto still argued the point, but she'd given up long ago. It just wasn't worth the breath. Instead, she inclined  
her head in the Hokage's direction and gave her standard reply. "My apologies, Tsunade-sama. It won't happen again."

The Hokage ignored her apology and, instead, waved her over to a seat across from the cluttered desk.

Sakura took her seat next to a ninja that she recognized but didn't know personally. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye,  
sizing him up automatically, using techniques taught to her by Kakashi as well as Tsunade. She'd learned that regular techniques when combined with clues that only medic-nin tended to look for gave her invaluable information about an opponent. It wasn't as good as using the Byakugan or having a Sharingan but she was rarely wrong these days in her estimations.

The shinobi looked to be only a few years older than herself though the hair at his temples was already starting to grey. He had that  
unemotional and stern air to him that Sakura associated with ANBU. Old scars wound up his arms until they disappeared beneath the sleeves of the standard jounin shirt he wore. He'd seen hard fighting and survived. More telling though was the way he sat in the chair. The right side of his body was tensed to keep himself almost balanced on that side of his body, as if he didn't want to rest his full weight evenly across his hips. She'd frowned slightly and then caught the odd way that his right foot was being held a few inches above the floor. Hip injury then - she'd guess some kind of recent dislocation and muscle tearing. She suspected that if she could see him walk that he'd be limping.

Further scrutiny was cut off when the Tsunade cleared her throat. "This is Mizuno. He will need a competent medic who can also hold her own in a fight."

Tsunade held up a mission scroll, its color coding telling Sakura without words that it was an A-ranked assignment. "We've got several civilians who are being held for ransom and we've been asked to both eliminate the gang that has taken them, and rescue those taken. Preliminary scout reports say that there are at least three jounin-level missing-nin in the gang. Their numbers seem to be rather fluid at the moment with anywhere between ten and twenty-five bandits in the main hideout at any one time. Our intelligence also tells us that several of the civilians are injured, plus, with taking out the bandits, we run the risk of further injuries to our people. Your skills would be very helpful on this. Do you accept the mission?"

Before Sakura could answer, Mizuno snorted in what was clearly disgust. "She's a chunin. I need someone capable. Don't we have a jounin-level medic you can assign?"

Sakura might not have been the completely undisciplined hothead that she was in her youth, but her temper was still there. She just had better control of it nowadays.

Usually.

But casting aspersions on her abilities was one way to bring Inner and Outer Sakura into complete, fire-breathing  
alignment.

Seeing her sensei lean back in her chair and smile benignly, Sakura took that as permission to lay into the jerk.

"First of all, I may only a chunin, but I'm a damn good medic. Tsunade has trained me herself and I've had no complaints about my performance or abilities. I've worked as a medic on multiple missions in the last couple of years under various team leaders. As for my skills as a kunoichi, unlike a lot of full-time medics, I've kept up my ninja training. I'm no stranger to a fight or to killing for that matter. I may be only a chunin but I've been trained by one of the legendary Sannins and by Sharingan Kakashi, the Copy Ninja."

On her feet now with waves of anger pulsing off of her, Sakura sent a contemptuous glance across the shinobi's frame. "Who trained you?" she spat.

Mizuno, looking completely startled now, didn't answer immediately and as Sakura was already on her feet, she decided to make her exit. Giving a sharp nod to Tsunade, she said, "My apologies for my temper. If you have another mission come up that needs me, please let me know."

Sakura threw another scornful look at the man, before adding, "Not even sure why this one is going on a mission anyway. It's obvious that he's just come in from the field and is still injured. With that hip, I'd be seriously surprised if he could walk, much less tree-walk."

And with that, Sakura was out the door. Or, at least, she tried to get out the door. She made about a dozen steps down the  
corridor before Tsunade's voice rang out.

"Get back here."

Sakura stopped and hung her head. So close. She'd been so close.

Turning around she headed back to the office but she refused to take her seat. "Tsunade?"

To her surprise, it was the ninja who answered. "Welcome to the team. We leave at dawn."

* * *

I know that Kakashi seems to be missing so far, but I swear that he'll be showing up soon. I just needed to establish Sakura's frame of mind first. -C 


	6. VI

**WB VI: Naruto**

Her temper was still simmering when she stomped out of Tsunade's office, mission scroll in hand.

_We leave at dawn_.

Jerk. Just who did he think he was, going around disparaging people's abilities and then just telling them they were on the team without even an apology?

Men! Or maybe that should be, ANBU! Fat-headed arrogant lot of them.

She knew she was acting rather childish, but she was tired and feeling put upon and did she mention tired? So really, she couldn't be held accountable for her next series of actions, when she spied Kakashi meandering his way down the corridor. The fact that Kakashi was actually in the hospital could only mean one thing: he was back from his current mission and he was uninjured. The only time the man actually showed up to his post-mission medical review was when he fine, otherwise, medics typically had to be sent out to track him down.

"Yo, Sakura," came the standard greeting.

Her response was anything but standard. For the briefest of moments as Sakura eyed Kakashi, she felt something like warm water rush over her skin. Shaking off the odd feeling, she advanced on her former teacher until she was nose to nose . . . well, actually more like nose to collarbone as Kakashi was still taller than she was.

"This is your fault," she said, index finger pointed and thumping against his chest through his jounin vest with each word. Seeing the silken material of Kakashi's mask shift, Sakura added before he could say anything, "Don't even try to deny it."

Kakashi's single visible eye widened slightly, but he gave a minute shrug. "Okay. I admit it. It's my fault."

Whether it was or not really didn't matter. Kakashi was well acquainted with Sakura's temper and he'd learned that if he just agreed in the beginning to these conversations that the storm typically passed rather quickly after that and he could go on his merry way. It wasn't like she ever held him responsible for whatever _was_ his fault; half the time she never even told him what fault he was admitting to.

His answer, once again, seemed to mollify her and she quit poking him in the chest and took a small step backwards to open up space between them.

"Good," she said. "And since you've admitted that it's your fault, I think you should be the one to fix it. And don't tell me you don't have time." She waved the scroll under his nose. "I've got a mission coming up but as soon as I get back, we'll get started."

Stepping around him, Sakura headed back off down the hallway.

Kakashi frowned. That had not gone the way their usual discussions went. Reaching up, he scratched at his chin and then spun around. "Sakura?" he called to her retreating back.

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Don't call me sensei. What do you mean 'we'll get started'. Started in what?"

Sakura snorted like he was being particularly dense. "Jounin exams are scheduled for the end of the year. I'm taking it and you're going to help me pass."

"I am?"

Sakura was already turned around and heading back down the hall again. "You are," she called over her shoulder.


	7. VII

VII.

Sakura pulled out her mission pack from the back of her closet and gave it a good upside-down shake to make sure that it was empty before tossing it on her bed.

Poor Kakashi.

Rooting around in her closet, she pulled out two extra sets of clothing, making sure to include at least one set of rain-repellent gear.

Okay, so she really didn't feel that sorry for him. It really was Kakashi's fault after all, in a convoluted, roundabout sort of way. When that puffed up ANBU captain had mentioned she was only a chunin, it had made her angry.

_What was wrong with being chunin anyway?_

Underwear -- check. Extra pair of shoes -- check.

As each item was pulled out and checked off her mental "Getting Ready for a Mission" list, Sakura tossed the items onto the bed next to the open travel pack. Years of such preparation and packing barely slowed down her mental fuming; her mind still turning over the insult of being labeled as 'just' anything.

_Chunin typically did the brunt of the C and D class missions so that the jounins could concentrate on the B, A and S-class jobs._

Personal kit -- check. Weapons -- check.

_Chunins were a vital piece of the machine that kept Konoha running._

Med kit -- check. Extra food -- double check. Because if she'd learned anything over the years, especially traveling with Naruto, it was that it was always best to have a little extra food stashed away.

_Just a chunin_. Ha!

This brought her back to poor, blind-sided Kakashi, and why she really didn't feel sorry for him. He was her former sensei and he had way more time to spend with her than Tsunade did. It only made sense for him to help her. A more cynical and slightly jealous part of her pointed out that he'd given one-on-one instruction to Sasuke before he'd left the village and Kakashi had even helped Naruto. He could very well give time to her as well.

Just a chunin. Harumph! She'd show them. She'd become a jounin . . . with Kakashi's help, of course.

But, that was later. First she had to get through this mission. With quick movements, she stuffed everything into her pack, arranging those things that she knew she'd need to get to quickly on top. She needed to have everything packed and ready so she could get to sleep now. Dawn would come way too soon. She hated missions that left at dawn. _What was wrong with leaving at a reasonable mid-morning time after breakfast?_

Fists planted firmly on her hips, Sakura spun slowly around, giving the room a good once over, checking to make sure she wasn't forgetting something. This was not the mission to show any amateur tendencies like forgetting vital pieces of equipment.

She gave a grunt of satisfaction, pleased that there was nothing she'd forgotten.

Well, almost nothing.

She hesitated. Should she take one? Kakashi did. Of course, she wasn't Kakashi.

She was bound to be bored in camp while the "big ninja boys and girls" went on the dangerous mission and the medic stayed behind at camp. Really, what would it hurt?

Going for where she'd hidden the rest of the _Icha Icha_ books, Sakura pulled out Vol. II, wincing a little at the lurid orange of the cover. If anyone even got a peek at the cover, they would know what she was reading; the distinctive color gave it away.

A moment later, a sly smile spread across her face. Going through her medical texts she pulled the folded cover off of _Boils, Pustules and Gangrene: A Comprehensive Guide_. The full color glossy photo on the front dust jacket of a lanced boil guaranteed that no one was going to be paying her book a second glance.

Quite pleased with herself, Sakura dropped the newly jacketed _Icha Icha_ into her knapsack.

* * *

Thank you for those who reviewed. It is much appreciated. If you spot any mistakes, please let me know. And yes, I realize that it is a little slow in getting Sakura and Kakashi together, but there is always groundwork that has to get laid in my fics. I like a slow build-up. I assure you though, that this is a romance and they will be together by the end of the story. 


	8. VIII

VIII.

Caught somewhere sleep and wakefulness, Sakura sensed the chakra of another ninja. Training and instincts kicked in to send her rolling from her bedroll up into a fighting crouch, kunai in hand, even before her eyes were fully open.

Ready to face her enemy she found . . . Mizuno, her mission leader, Mr. stick-up-the-butt ANBU himself. Coming out of her crouch, she offered him what she hoped was an apologetic smile, considering she was still pointing a kunai at his heart.

Her smile was not returned.

"Your watch," he said, before heading towards his own bedroll.

Dropping her smile, she scowled at Mizuno's back, only to have the effect spoiled by a jaw-popping yawn. Sheathing her blade with a flick of her fingers, she decided against sticking her tongue out at his retreating back. Bastard! He could have at least looked a little impressed with her abilities. She wasn't Kakashi-level where she could sense another nin's chakra at two hundred yards from a sound sleep, but her sensing abilities were pretty impressive compared to many others.

Grumbling under her breath, she set about arming herself with more weapons. Satisfied she was ready for her watch, she reached into her knapsack for the disguised _Icha Icha _and one of the honey-sweetened travel bars she'd packed. She always found herself hungry when she had the middle of the night watch. Tucking book and food into her pockets, Sakura stepped lightly around the other sleeping shinobi and melted into the shadows that surrounded the camp.

Sakura circled the perimeter of the camp twice, familiarizing herself with the sounds of the forest around them and the most probable ways that enemies would try to attack. Her last circuit complete, Sakura retreated a little away from the camp and climbed into the upper branches of a thick-limbed tree. There she settled herself on a branch, her back against the truck of the tree.

Closing her eyes to concentrate, she let the sounds of the forest fill her head so she'd know if the sound changed. Next she sent tendrils of her own chakra snaking out, spinning them out into a web cast over the camp.

Satisfied with her preparations, she pulled _Icha Icha_ out of her pocket and flipped the little book open to her marked page. She'd gotten into the habit each night during her watch to read ten pages and then do another sweep of the camp and surrounding area. It was a good way to time herself and make sure she didn't let her attention drift too far into the story. She may be picking up Kakashi's habits, and she knew she resembled her former teacher in her choice of reading material and reading spot, but she wasn't the Copy-Nin to be able to act as an efficient sentry without ever lifting her gaze from the printed page.

Settling a bit further back against the tree, she sighed. Truth be told, Vol. II was not as good as Vol I. She was actually rather disappointed in Master Jiraya. This volume, she thought, pulled heavily from the first book while introducing little new material. It was, all-in-all, a rather fascinating contrast – the book was both exciting and yet predicable. Dull but oddly compelling. It kept her occupied but didn't completely absorb her attention so she was still cognizant of her surroundings and through it all, there was just enough titillation – and sex – to keep her interested. She was really beginning to see why Kakashi liked the books so much.


	9. Chapter 9

The time has come to admit that I'm never going to finish this story. It pains me, but the truth hurts. So, I have three options at this point:

1. Put up an author's note and admit that the story is now officially abandoned (not a choice I really like).  
2. Remove the story from FFN.  
3. Open the story up for adoption.

Personally, I like Option #3. I have story notes. I have a vague outline. I have plot and character development. I would be more than happy to work with the volunteer that wants to take on the story or not, whatever works. As far as I'm concerned, multple volunteers could do their own versions of it. The more the merrier.

I would also be more than happy to have the new author(s) post the remaining chapters under their own name and profile so they can bask in the glory that is reviews. All I ask is that you give me the FFN link to your continuation so I can link my last chapter to where you pick it up so readers will be able to follow.

Anyone interested?

-Caeria


End file.
